teal and ruddy ducks were down some¬ 
what from 1964. There was no signifi¬ 
cant change in mallard and pintail pro¬ 
duction. Canada goose production 
showed a slight increase over 1964. 
The abundance of class 1 duck broods 
observed during late July surveys (25 
percent of all broods classified) would 
indicate an exceptionally late nesting 
season extending well into August. Con¬ 
sidering this, plus the fact that water 
and habitat conditions are expected to 
remain good throughout the entire sum¬ 
mer, it would appear that the increase 
in duck production will be much greater 
than the 13 percent increase indicated 
on the basis of July surveys. 
UTAH 
Data supplied by John E. Nagel 
Utah Department of Fish and Game 
Weather and habitat conditions 
The winter of 1964-65 provided Utah 
with above average amounts of precipi¬ 
tation. Consequently, marsh areas 
(both managed and natural) were in ex¬ 
cellent condition when spring migrants 
arrived. Rains were prevalent through¬ 
out the breeding period, and conditions 
for breeding waterfowl were excellent. 
Extended periods of precipitation and low 
temperatures common throughout the 
spring of 1964 were absent, and some 
recovery from 1964 low production levels 
was noted on all censused areas. 
All irrigation and storage reservoirs 
were at full capacity early in the spring. 
This coupled with heavy spring runoffs 
resulted in excellent water conditions 
throughout the State. This condition is 
expected to continue into late summer, 
and should result in good water supplies 
on all marsh areas throughout the sum¬ 
mer and into the fall. 
Breeding population and production 
indexes 
Aerial surveys indicate a slight de¬ 
crease in numbers of breeding ducks in 
usual high production areas; however, 
this is considered to be the result of in¬ 
creased habitat rather than a decrease in 
numbers of breeding waterfowl. Areas 
of mediocre habitat, which were en¬ 
hanced by heavy precipitation and runoff, 
showed substantial increases in use by 
breeding ducks. The 5,901 ducks cen¬ 
sused in 1965 is well above the 10-year 
average of 4,924 and an increase of over 
300 birds from 1964 census figures. 
Ground counts conducted on all Man¬ 
agement Areas showed decreases in 
breeding birds. Again this is considered 
to be a reflection of increased breeding 
habitat across the State rather than a 
decrease in breeding populations (table 
B-17). 
No major shift in species composition 
of breeding ducks was noted on northern 
Utah census areas. A continued re¬ 
duction in the proportion of breeding 
divers was again noted in southern trend 
areas. As in past years, this "slack” on 
these marsh areas was taken up by green¬ 
winged teal (table B-18). 
Canada geese brood counts made 
during the spring of 1965 indicate some¬ 
what improved breeding conditions as 
compared to the abnormally cold wet 
spring of 1964. All State-controlled 
Waterfowl Management Areas, Bear 
River Migratory Bird Refuge, and many 
southern Utah production areas showed 
an increase in breeding pairs and gosling 
production; however, all areas were be¬ 
low 1963 production levels. 
Goose production in Rich County ap¬ 
pears to be slightly below the 1964 level. 
The winter of 1964-65 was extremely 
severe, and most haystacks along the 
Bear River were utilized completely by 
livestock during the winter. In past 
years, breeding geese utilized these hay¬ 
stacks as nesting platforms. This year 
geese were forced to nest in pastures 
and willow clumps along the river. 
Many of these ground nests were de¬ 
stroyed by skunks, and to a degree this 
may account for a portion of the area’s 
reduced goose production (table B-19). 
9 
